Bengalureans resort to panic buying; essentials fly off the shelves across city

With the state government imposing a week-long partial shutdown on most commercial establishments, including malls and supermarkets, people in the city seem to be in a state of panic. Bengalureans are stocking up on essential supplies at home, as schools and colleges remain shut and professionals work from home. This, in turn, has also led to a temporary shortage of certain commodities at some stores, with e-commerce companies and those running delivery services also struggling to provide groceries and other items on time. A delivery-service app official says, “Ever since city offices announced work-from-home options for their employees, there’s been a surge in the number of orders received. While there are no official statistics available yet, it can be estimated that the numbers have almost doubled over the past week.” Adding to the panic were messages from supermarkets, announcing that stores might remain closed for a few days; and advising people to stock up on essentials. On Sunday, however, there was some respite, as authorities said that supermarkets will remain open, provided not too many people assemble at a time inside the outlet. According to IT professional Rajesh Sharma, his household is prepared even for a complete shutdown. “We have been asked to work from home until things are set right. My children are home too. Given the outbreak, my wife and I are worried to step out for even for a while. So, we decided to stock up earlier,” he explains. On the other hand, Nidhi Kumar, a management professional, is struggling to meet day-day-day household requirements, as both food items and hygiene essentials have flown off the shelves. City’s young folk volunteer to shop for senior citizens A group of volunteers in Whitefield are doing their bit to help senior citizens in the neighbourhood. “Many elderly people stay in our apartment complex, some of whom live alone and find it difficult to make quick trips to the supermarkets or medical stores. Since the older generation is said to be more susceptible to diseases like Coronavirus, they are scared to step out of their homes. Keeping these concerns in mind, we have formed a group on WhatsApp, and are trying to reach out to the elderly lot and help them as and when required, and even deliver essentials to their apartment,” says Dewan Kunwar, another IT professional. - With inputs from Sandra Fernandes